Our Dear Prophet

President Gordan B. Hinkley passed away tonight at the age 97 years. I have come to appreciate and adore this man who will always hold a special place in my heart. He was not only the Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, he was the greatest exemplar of love, compassion and dedication as a follower of Christ.
I happened to be at a Youth fireside for our Stake tonight when I received a text from Robbie giving me the news of his passing. It took me by surprise a bit as we had just started the meeting and I was texting one of my girls asking why she wasn't at the fireside, I thought it was her texting me back. I was saddened by the news, but knew it was surely a bitter sweet time that was inevitable as he had lived such a fulfilling life and was growing weak with age. He has touched sooo many people with his spirit of enthusiasm and zeal for life and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As the fireside proceeded, it was then towards the end that I could see the news slowly making it's way around the room. Tears began to flow, sniffles from the front, back and side to side continued to become contagious to the point that several of the youth had a hard time controlling their emotions. The Young Women sitting in front of me where comforting one another through hugs. If only I could have taken a picture of the moment, it was sweet and surreal. It was emotional! It then brought me to many thoughts; this was the only prophet they have ever known and loved! President Hinkley has made a huge impact in the lives of the youth and will forever be imprinted in their hearts and minds. There was no better place to be tonight as we all felt the spirit of our Heavenly Father, reflected on the Savior and remembered our Dear Prophet together.

My sugars work of art!!
For those of you who know Robbie and the amazing creative, handy and cleaver boy he is would not be surprised by anything he comes up with or creates! This is just a small glimpse of his creative work, a final project from his sculpture class last semester. He had to make a list of words in which his teacher picked the word that would then be his final project, which had to be some sort of sign. Cake was his word for the final. What a cleaver way to make it work...... He designed it all and then made his art! He just sold it to a cake shop down the street for some good money!!! That's my boy!
That is one thing I love and appreciate about Robbie, he is so darn creative! He always seems to out do my ideas and I thought I was pretty creative. Oh! No! not anymore..but we work our ideas out together and make amazing things happen! I love how handy he is and all he does for our family! Go sugar go!

Princess Mania

Kudos to Grandpa McNicol for the gift of Princess wishes... Today we set out as a family to the Disney on Ice show. It was great and really enjoyable! Robbie nor I have experienced watching a live Ice skating show so it was fun for all of us all around. London enjoyed all the Princesses, the music,singing and the Ice skating. Best of it yet, she got to see her favorite characters; Minnie mouse and Tinkerbell! It was fun seeing the excitement in her eyes as she danced along with the music and awed at the magical sights. It was fun!!

Miss London as Tinkerbell

Her little wings and Kisses!!!

I think it is so important to instill in the little ones of who they are and that they are as a princess/or prince of a Heavenly KING! There is of course a boundary that needs to be made in the extensiveness of being a princess, but that title is pure and so real! I love that Disney makes it possible to dream and to believe in oneself. I used to think the whole princess thing was so over rated and then I had a little girl... she is truly a princess in not only our eyes, but in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. I truly believe this!

Another thing that opened my eyes to the whole princess title was a great book that London was gifted called " Do Princesses wear hiking boots?" By Carmela LaVigina Coyle. This book is great! It depicts how a little girl and a princess are so much alike, but in a well rounded fashion... you don't have to be the frilly girlie, girl, but you do need manners and a balanced life like rules and such! At the end of the book it has you look into a mirror and it asks you to look inside and then it says... "a princess is a place in your heart"! Great read! London Loves it!!

London's BB Shades
London loves to accessorize these days......a few days ago we were at Build a Bear buying more clothes for her London Bear( she was gifted when she was born) and Mackie her adorable girlie turtle she got over Christmas. If any of you have been to a Build a Bear store you will know that there is a LARGE range of clothing, accessories, ad shoes to purchase for your lovable stuffed animal. London's head was spinning!! She found clothes, purses, and these glasses. Were they meant to be worn by her stuffed friends... of course not! They were for her! She tried getting two purses, one for her & one for her bear. They have adorable stuff and they happen to be just London's size ( she is such a petite little thing) These are her new found glories, she wears them at night, inside and just whenever she feels like wearing them! The things we love!

Saturday morning while we were cleaning she was playing dress up in her princess shoes and whatever else she would pull out of her drawers changing several times... I think she finally picked this shirt to sport with her little puppy trailing behind. Does she look high maintenance or what?!

A SNOWMAN PARTY........

Here is just a few momments of our snowman fun....

As I was tucking London into bed the other night I asked her if there was anything she wanted to do the next day?! Her reply kind of took me off guard, as I thought she would suggest playing outside, visit the Temple, go to Target (her favorite store) or visit a buddy of hers... no it was "lets have a snowman party!". I thought that was a cleaver activity!!! I love parties, and since we still have dad off of school it would be the best party ever! I told her I would talk to dad and we would work something out.
We planned on going this Saturday, but as Friday morning came, plans with a play date and such were cancelled at the last min. Soooooo what better day to go to the snow and have that snowman party?!
We packed a lunch and snacks, threw on our warm clothes and headed up to Lee Canyon nestled in MT Charleston, a good 45 min - 1hour drive. It was refreshing to be up in the snow where the Christmas trees live (as London would describe the view). The air was fresh, the sun shining and the weather air as crisp as the days I remember when I was on the slopes teaching! They have a little Ski Resort tucked in the mountains with a quaint atmosphere a lot like Sundance ski resort in Utah, but a bit smaller. Robbie and I had such a blast reminiscing on the good ole days when we were young, and of course watching our little pumkin play in the snow.
We couldn't have asked for a better snow park to have a snowman party. It was just our luck, there were several snowmen already built, so we only had to build one of our own. London was thrilled with the different sizes of snowmen and named each of them as we visited each one. She has quite the imagination and creativity for such a young mind.
Our snowman party consisted of snowman building, snow angel making and sledding! It was the perfect adventure for all of us... here are a few of our moments, we will have some video to post of Londs sledding by herself coming soon!



Our cool Mohawk snowboy! London wanted a beard, but we made him young with a little underlip scruff.





Snow Angels.........................................................................................................................

Kissing snowboy!

A snowman London made friends with as soon as we got to the party. She is shaking her hand saying her new saying..... "It's nice to meet you, I'm London"

Dad and Londs sipping on some hot cocoa and eating snacks..............yuuummmm!

Christmas 2007



Okey! I know we are already into the New Year six days, but I had to throw a few pictures on from our trip to Sacramento for Christmas. We actually came home with the fewest amount of pictures we have ever taken on a trip. Possibly it was the crazy hussle and bussle of the days that kept us from taking so many pictures, however we did get alot of video, and I guess that is what counts in the years to come! Another crazy thing, is that we don't have one single picture of us all together, not one family moment caught still! Bummer!!!

Christmas was a blast! I am so grateful for the time we were able to fly out to be with family! It is always nice to be back in Sacramento with the bros.

Here are just a few of my favorite!



My bundle of cuteness and his tools!!!!!!!

The only picture we took of me during the holidays with my belly, standing with my sister inlaw Christina.

London and all her goods all at once from Grandma McNicol.

Books, books and more books! We love books, Dad and Londs opening gifts.

Our little chesse in Grandpas new Goofy slippers. Slippers for the two goofs!

Grandpa's famous PINK Pancakes with whipped cream and sprinkles for the Pink girl!!!

GUESS WHO??? Santa came to visit London at Grandpas, a personal visit a few nights before Christmas. (Santa: aka Grandpa McNicol and Mrs. Claus: aka Grandma Judy) It was too cute!

London and Santa
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!!

Long over due announcement.... Baby Layla is here!!!

Ashley & Paul Blanchard welcomed their baby girl Layla Faye Blanchard on December 21st. Ashley looks as beautiful as ever, sucking on a sucker ready to be a mommy! These are the only pictures we have recieved so far, we hope to see more!!!
However we are so excited for the arrival of sweet Layla, London can't wait to meet her! Congrats to Ash & Paul!!!